Jackson Juzang ’26 and Ben Zimmerman ’27 contributed to this article.
We’ve finally arrived at the last game of the season. Kansas City Chiefs. Philadelphia Eagles. The storylines for this matchup have been endless. The Chiefs are chasing an unprecedented three-peat, while the Eagles are out for redemption after their heartbreaking Super Bowl LVII loss—a game decided by a Butker field goal with just eight seconds left. Arguably the two best teams in the NFL all season, they now meet on the biggest stage. Here’s our breakdown of both teams heading into Super Bowl LIX and our picks for the winner.
Jackson Juzang
Chiefs: ’Tis the season for Chiefs loyalists and bandwagoners alike. Kansas City playing into February has become almost routine; this year is no exception. The Chiefs are making their third consecutive Super Bowl appearance and their fifth in seven years. They’re also the first team in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl after winning back-to-back championships.
Despite holding the NFL’s best record since Week 1, the Chiefs spent much of the 2024 season under scrutiny. Concerns swirled around their string of one-score victories, Patrick Mahomes’ statistically mediocre season, and a depleted receiving corps after WR1 Rashee Rice tore his ACL in Week 4. But all those doubts have been put to rest over the last three weeks. Wins over Houston and Buffalo reaffirmed the legend of “Playoff Pat,” who now holds the second-most playoff wins of any QB in history. The midseason acquisition of former All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins in October has also helped stabilize the offense after Rice’s injury.
On the other side of the ball, Steve Spagnuolo is widely regarded as the best coordinator in football. Kansas City’s defense has arguably been the driving force behind this run—eerily reminiscent of the Patriots’ dynasty in the 2010s. With no glaring weaknesses and the best player-coach tandem on the planet, it’s incredibly hard to bet against these guys.
Eagles: In 2022, the Eagles went 14-3 and marched to Super Bowl LVII to face the Chiefs. In 2024, they went 14-3 again and are back in the Super Bowl for a rematch with Mahomes and Kansas City. While the records are identical, the roster turnover has been anything but.
The departure of Jason Kelce after the 2023 season left many wondering if the Eagles’ best days were behind them. They signed former Giants RB Saquon Barkley in free agency—a move met with skepticism given his declining productivity in New York. Fast forward to 2025, and Eagles fans are calling for Howie Roseman to get a statue in Philly, and they might not be wrong. Barkley has been arguably the best offensive player in the NFL this season, rushing for over 2,000 yards—becoming just the ninth player in history to do so—and was named the 2024 Offensive Player of the Year. The Eagles lacked a dominant ground game in their last Super Bowl run. This time, it’s their biggest strength.
The Eagles’ threats stem from more than just their ground game. Cam Jurgens has stepped in as a formidable replacement for Kelce, earning a Pro Bowl nod in his first season as the starting center. The brilliance of first-year coordinators Kellen Moore (offense) and Vic Fangio (defense) has been a significant storyline all season. Now, fresh off scoring the most points in an NFC Championship Game, the Eagles will look to ride that momentum into New Orleans.
What to Expect: When you take the two best teams in the NFL, you’re almost guaranteed a one-score game. The Chiefs have kept things close all season, and with a three-peat on the line, they won’t let this one slip away easily. That said, expect at least one 30+ yard touchdown run from Barkley—no amount of game-planning can fully contain him. He’s just that good.
With two of the league’s best coaching staffs, this game will likely come down to the first big mistake—whether it’s a poorly timed timeout, an aggressive fourth-down decision, or a miscalculated risk. Both Philly and KC have been successful on fourth down, so every gamble will be carefully considered.
Like most Super Bowls, it’s all about who has the ball last. If the Chiefs have the final possession, betting against Patrick Mahomes would be foolish. If the Eagles get the ball early, expect Steve Spagnuolo to dial up a surgical blitz package to rattle Jalen Hurts. At the end of the day, it’s hard to see Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Andy Reid missing out on the chance to make history.
Winner: Kansas City Chiefs 34 – Philadelphia Eagles 31
Ben Zimmerman
Chiefs: Amid a season of scrutiny and squeak-by wins, the Chiefs are returning to the Mahomes Bowl. Mahomes has rightly been the center of attention during this dynastic run, possessing an uncanny affection for high-stakes moments. While his usual eye-popping stats are not there this year, he leads a team that has won its last seventeen consecutive one-score games. Skeptics would point to chancy wins courtesy of a blocked field goal (Week 10 vs. the Broncos) and generous officiating decisions. But the fact stands: the Mahomes-Reed duo is a formidable fourth-quarter opponent.
The decline of Travis Kelce, who went without a touchdown for the first six weeks of the season, has forced Kansas City to rely on peripheral pieces for offensive production. The receiver corps has adopted a “by-committee” approach, with Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, and Juju Smith-Schuster all contributing in the AFC Championship game. Their stiffest test of the year will come against Philadelphia’s NFL-leading pass defense. Isaiah Pacheco spearheads the run game which KC may rely on to face the suffocating Eagles secondary. Despite a mediocre 2024 campaign, the 25-year-old Pacheco was a vital piece in last year’s title run, averaging 78 rush yards per game in the postseason.
While the offense takes the spotlight, Steve Spagnuolo’s defense has arguably been Kansas City’s more dependable unit over the last two seasons. The cast includes Chris Jones, a surefire Hall of Famer, joined on the D-line by George Karlaftis, and the linebacker duo of Nick Bolton and Leo Chenal. This group will be tasked with neutralizing the legs of Saquon Barkley while keeping Jalen Hurts (also a run threat) in check with a healthy dose of Spagnuolo blitzes. Kansas City’s defense came after Josh Allen on a critical fourth down stop that handed Mahomes the ball to close out the AFC Championship.
In the close contest that this projects to be, number 15 stands to determine the fate of the Chiefs. With a three-peat, Mahomes would edge closer to Tom Brady’s seven titles. Brady, who is on the call, will have a front-row seat from the FOX broadcasting booth.
Eagles: In the way of history stand the Birds. The last time the Eagles raised the Lombardi trophy was 2018, when Nick Foles strung together an improbable run, capped off by a victory over Brady’s Patriots, 41-33. Both QBs from that game are now retired and the keys have been handed to Jalen Hurts. In his fourth full season as a starter, Hurts remains one of the NFL’s top dual-threat quarterbacks, behind only Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. Nervous Eagles fans watched him go down with a concussion in Week 16 against the Commanders, but Hurts returned for the playoffs and has seemed up to form, handling the Packers, Rams, and Commanders in succession. Now in his second Super Bowl, Hurts will look to avenge his 2023 loss. Despite racking up four touchdowns and 374 total yards, nearly twice that of Mahomes, Hurts was unable to keep pace in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles hope the addition of Saquon Barkley will help turn the tides this time around. Barkley has been the story of the season, coming up just 100 yards short of Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record. In Week 18, with the record on the line, Nick Siriani chose to sit Barkley to the disappointment of many. But the move promised a vision for a run to the Super Bowl, the first of Barkley’s career.
Personnel consistency on the Offensive Line contributed to Barkley’s success while continuing the legacy of the game’s most unstoppable play. Referred to as the “Tush Push” or the “Brotherly Shove” amongst other names, Philadelphia’s QB sneak has seen an 86% success rate since 2022. Already loaded with offensive talent, the Eagles can now guarantee themselves a first down on short yard-to-gain plays.
On the other side of the ball, Philadelphia boasts a secondary bar none in the NFL. Darius Slay, Quinyon Mitchell, and CJ Gardneer Johnson comprise a unit that tied Pittsburgh for the most forced fumbles this season. The team is hard to stop when it turns over opponents and chews up large chunks of clock with the run game. Andy Reid will certainly need to dig deep into his bag of trickery as he prepares to face this juggernaut defense.
What to Expect: The latest chapter of this rivalry is about matchups. In the Mahomes-Hurts battle, there will be no lack of showmanship on the feet and in the air, but time of possession stands to determine a lot. The methodical, time-consuming drives Philadelphia has executed all season rely primarily on Hurts’ decision-making. The turnover battle matters. In their first Super Bowl matchup, the margin was razor-thin. While neither QB threw an interception, Hurts had the only fumble between the two, resulting in a Kansas City scoop-and-score. Who will be better around the edges?
Some Saquon magic is inevitable, but just how much will the Chiefs defense be able to keep him in check? Even if the run game is jammed up, dealing with WR threats the likes of AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith is no small task. If they can take advantage of Kansas City’s middling pass defense, the opportunities for Barkley will multiply.
The Eagles’ secondary, while strong, has its own problems to deal with. Kelce, however old, has a knack for being in spots where Mahomes can find him. Lining up beside him will be Xavier Worthy, a rookie whose speed is reminiscent of former Chief Tyreke Hill. Can the Eagles suffocate the old and the new?
No one likes to talk about kickers but close games often put them in the spotlight. As of late, it appears that Kansas City has the advantage. Don’t be surprised if a faltering Elliot costs the Eagles or if Butker’s leg once again delivers Kansas City glory.
Winner: Kansas City Chiefs 19 – Philadelphia Eagles 16
Not everyone is tuning in for football. While your friends get riled up about a missed call, consider throwing some money on the following: John Batiste’s national anthem will be Under 120.5 seconds. With a resurgent Kelce performance, Taylor Swift will be shown on the broadcast Over 6.5 times. And finally, when interviewed, an unlikely Super Bowl MVP will thank his teammates before God, his family, or the fans at +215.
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